The Mormon Church made an offer today that LGBT people should refuse.
A CBS News headline reads, “Mormon leaders vow support for gay rights — with conditions.”
They should refuse because human rights are unconditional.
The CBS News report says, “The church is promising to support some housing and job protections for gays and lesbians …”
They should refuse because every human being’s right to equal protection of the laws and freedom from discrimination is non-negotiable.
” … in exchange for legal protections for believers who object to the behavior of others.”
They should refuse because homosexuality is a biological condition, not a behavioral choice, and because the Mormons’ religious beliefs confer on them no right to “object to the behavior” of others.
“The church insists it is making no changes in doctrine, and still believes it’s against the law of God to have sex outside marriage between a man and a woman.”
They should refuse because marriage is a civil right, and the decision of two non-Mormon gays to marry is none of the Mormon Church’s damn business; whether the Mormons admit gays to membership in their church, or choose to perform gay wedding ceremonies, is up to them as a matter of their religious freedom. But outside their Church, what others do is none of their damn business.
“But church leaders who held a rare news conference Tuesday said ‘we must all learn to live with others who do not share the same beliefs or values.'”
We can agree on that. Now let’s see them practice it.
“The language of the [Mormon Church’s] new campaign mirrors a website the church launched in 2012 instructing Latter-day Saints to be more accepting and compassionate toward gays.”
This is a good general principle for treating all people. But in this context, it’s patronizing, somewhat like saying white cops should stop shooting unarmed African-Americans.
“The church made clear then and now that it still opposes gay marriage and insists on its right to apply its own rules within church-affiliated charities, schools, businesses and properties, even those that provide services to non-Mormons.”
Some this is within their rights, but some of it is illegal discrimination. They’re entitled to oppose gay marriage as an expression of their political views; that’s simply exercising free speech. They’re entitled to apply their own rules within their church, charities, and private schools. But the government has the power and right to regulate businesses to prevent discrimination, and should do so; and the Mormon Church is subject to secular laws the same as everyone else. If a church-affiliated business violates anti-discrimination laws, it should be prosecuted like any other lawbreaker.
“The church’s stance toward gays has softened considerably since it was one of the leading forces behind California’s ban on same-sex marriage in 2008.”
Should gays be grateful to the Mormon Church for agreeing to tone down — but not eliminate — its anti-gay hate?
“Church leaders condemned discrimination against gays in stark terms, speaking of centuries of ‘persecution and even violence against homosexuals. Ultimately, most of society recognized that such treatment was simply wrong, and that such basic human rights as securing a job or a place to live should not depend on a person’s sexual orientation,’ said Neill Marriott, a member of the church’s Public Affairs Committee.”
That’s nice, but if you want to be taken seriously, then walk your talk. Didn’t you just say, in a previous breath, that the Mormon Church still insists on “applying its own rules” in church-affiliated businesses, including those providing services to non-Mormons? This means nothing if gays still can’t rent a Mormon-owned apartment or buy a wedding bouquet at a Mormon-owned flower shop.
“Mormon leaders still want to be able to hire and fire workers based not only on religious beliefs, but also on behavior standards known as honor codes.”
Which totally negates, and renders meaningless, their empty tolerance talk.
Gays and lesbians would have to agree to remain celibate or marry someone of the opposite sex.
No.
The church also wants legal protections for religious objectors who work in government and health care, such as a physician who refuses to perform artificial insemination for a lesbian couple.
No.
“After coming under intense criticism for leading the fight for California’s Proposition 8, church leaders have been … appealing to gay and lesbian Mormons to stay in the church.”
No.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mormon-leaders-vow-support-for-gay-rights-with-conditions/
Religion is unique in its ability to influence human attitudes and behavior. People who thought they were carrying out God’s will have been responsible for wars, genocides, pogroms, torture, murder, terrorism, and oppression on a scope and scale never attained by any political ideology. Religious belief is capable of corrupting otherwise good people and prompting them to monstrous behavior toward their fellow human beings. Therefore, churches and religious leaders have a special responsibility to promote tolerance and fight against all forms of discrimination and persecution.
The Mormon Church’s statement today, while perhaps well-intentioned, although its self-serving aspects can’t be overlooked, fails this test because of the Church’s insistence on reserving a right to discriminate against gay people and asserting a right to interfere in the private lives of others. The gay community shouldn’t cut a deal with the Mormons on those terms. They should respond, “You don’t have a right to treat us this way.” And other Christians should respond, “No, our understanding of Christianity doesn’t leave room for judging or discriminating against others.” And we all should respond, “No, your religious freedom stops where other people’s rights begin. That’s a line you can’t cross.”
